Procrastination: 3 Proven Ways to Stop it

If you are a procrastinator, then you may have thought of, ‘Why do I procrastinate? Even though I know that it is not good for me now but still we do it.

Why?

I myself got stuck into this difficult phase a lot time, but after understanding the human behavior behind procrastination, it got reduced to lot extent by following the experimentally proved techniques.

In this blog we are going to find out the root cause of procrastination and will find the solution for the same.

What’s in it for me?

1. What is procrastination?
2. Why do we Procrastinate?
3. Psychological reason for procrastination?
4. How to stop procrastination?
5. Summary.
6. FAQ

What is Procrastination?

It is an act of postponing any task by certain deadlines. It can also referred to as habit of delaying the task despite knowing that may bring negative consequences.

For example, if you had a task of completing your project, but you tend waste your time on social media, playing video games, spending time with friends.

Well there is nothing wrong with all this only when it is done within the limit, by allocating time for every activity.

Extreme of anything doesn’t yield a good result.

Source: Wikipedia

Why do we Procrastinate?

There is wrong belief that people think that procrastination is a matter of will power.

But the situation is even more complex then we think.

Whenever we have to complete a certain task we totally rely on self-control which mostly relies on our motivation behind doing any task.

When our motivation is less than our expectation from the reward we tend to procrastinate the action to be taken.

Our motivation could be weakened by various factors like anxiety, load stress.

If the reward is far in the future which depletes the value of the reward.

Also, there are many other factors that make us procrastinate.

Overall we procrastinate because the demotivation and restricting factors suppress our motivation and we easily lose our self-control less to procrastination.

Psychological reason behind procrastination.

Here I have listed many psychological factors:-

1. Unclear goal.
2. Criticizing our self.
3. Instant gratification.
4. Less self control.
5. Perfectionist.
6. Lack of motivation
7. Focusing in downside.

Now let’s understand each concept in detailed.

• UNCLEAR GOAL:

Giving a vague instruction to subconscious mind makes it difficult to stored the information about the particular act.

That is what actually we do while setting goals.

Goals like ‘Today I will study’, ‘I have to improve my health’, ‘ I will start the business’ all this are nothing but the words for your mind.

If they are not directed properly to your mind it will become difficult for the mind to take the action.

To follow your goals you must need to be have habits in the same direction. Read our blogs on 4 Law’s of Habits.

• CRTICIZING OUR SELF:

Not accepting ourself the way we are makes us detached from our self.

Which results in internal conflicts in mind. Conflicts pertaining to any matter makes our mind indecisive.

So, Accepting ourself the way we are no matter what the situation is the way to find the solution to any problem.

Also read: How to build true Confidence?

• INSTANT GRATIFICATION:

Every second in every situation our mind goes into search of pleasures.
You are not able to take the action on your task the reason could be the reward you would be achieving is far in future.

Momentary or short term pleasures are attracted to your mind.

This is an Instant Gratification which your mind needs no matter how important the task is. (Know more about Instant Gratification)

Example: You are having an exam within a week and you have to complete the entire syllabus.

So, during study time any notification in your cell phone is a signal of pleasure to your mind. And you keep on perceiving it until you get back to conscious awareness.

• LESS SELF CONTROL:

Having our mind out of control of our awareness is in fact the problem of most of the humans on the earth.

By not having the control on our self we permit the outside world to use us the way they want.

Which becomes our strong belief and every time we rely on the external factors to change according to us which is not possible at all.

Control on any individual depends on factors what they oriented to.

1. Individual with external oriented: This type of the person mostly depends on the external factors and expected them change to his own way.

2. Individual with internal oriented: This types of the person rely on it’s own decision, whose mind is not vulnerable to any outside factors.
Having the ability like in case of second makes easy to take decision right at the moment.

Also read : How to control your subconscious mind?

• PERFECTIONIST:

This belief of having perfect at any skill should be eliminated.
This belief has gotten stronger becomes our fear for failures.

We have this belief from our childhood because of out education system which excludes the one who is failure.

This fear restricts us from taking any action until we are perfect at it.
Which is totally wrong.

• LACK OF MOTIVATION:

Behind every action that we take there is some sort of motivation which drives us to take the action.

Not having motivation indicates that we don’t have interest in the process of doing job, but it is in the materialistic things like money, It is a desire which never satisfied.

• FOCUSING AT DOWNSIDE:

It is an act of focusing on negative feedback which takes the form of loop.

For example, I took up task of releasing video on YouTube every week with expectation of 1k views. But I got only 100 views.

So I was procrastinating to release the second video because my focus was on 900 views that I didn’t get and in negative comments which makes me stop to the process.

Now, we understand what are the factors that are pulling us back from taking action.

In further section we will we the solution to eliminate the problem from it’s root.

How to stop procrastination?

1.Set a clear goal
2. Focus on the upside
3. Use of this techniques.

1. TO SET A CLEAR GOAL

This is root of all problems. Having a vague goal will always let your mind to get distract.

This is like the base of any foundation.It should be as strong as possible.

• Ask your self why you want to achieve your goal. What is your motive chasing behind it.

• Get the answers from the real you, get deeper into thought of why you want it? And what you can sacrifice in order to achieve your goal?

• “Sacrifice the things that stop you from reaching your goal now, otherwise you have to sacrifice your dream in future”

Read more about : How to set clear goals?

2. FOCUS ON THE UPSIDE:

Once the base of the foundation has been made stronger. Your will be focused towards your goal.

During the journey you might face the resistance which will distracts you.

In this situation, always be focused on the upside of the result.

This could be little difficult to do, but not focusing on the negatives will always keep you in track.

Don’t be Perfectionist, focus on what you have and what good enough you can achieve through it.

3. USE THIS TECHNIQUES:

• Break larger task into smaller: Doing this it would be lot easier for you to take the action on smaller task. Accomplishing each smaller task would result in completing the entire task.

For example, if you have to complete the entire syllabus within a week, then break it into smaller task of completing only 1 chapter a day.

• Reward your self: Always reward yourself with something brings pleasure to your mind which give the sense of satisfaction on accomplishment.

That what is rewarded is repeated, that what punishes is avoided.

• Prioritize the task: Allocate the every task prioritizing it in the basis of it’s important.

Take the action on which is most urgent and take the action on it.

• Set the deadlines: Setting the deadline is one the most effective way.

Set the meaningful deadline. Like ‘ I have to complete this task before 4 p.m. ‘

I know it’s not that easy to convince your mind just by saying few words. You should write down the deadline on blank paper and what you will have to sacrifice if not achieve it in simpler words punish yourself for not doing it.

Make a contract with yourself having a signature on it. This will make the process more like official.

SUMMARY

1. What is procrastination?
Delaying the task despite of knowing it will bring negative consequences for you in future.

2. Psychological reasons for why we procrastinate?
1. Unclear goal.
2. Criticizing our self.
3. Instant gratification.
4. Less self control.
5. Perfectionist.
6. Lack of motivation.
7. Focusing in downside.

3. How to stop procrastination?
• To set clear goals
It should be achievable and meaningful.

Clear your ‘WHY’ you doing the tak.
• Focus on upside.

Use the technique to stop procrastination
1. Break larger task into smaller
2. Reward yourself
3.Prioritize the task
4. Set the strict deadlines.

FAQ